Should I go or should I stay?

It’s a question facing lots of young Windsorites - and Christian is hardly alone in seeking his fortunes elsewhere.

Heavily dependent on the automobile industry, Windsor’s economy is expected to shrink by 5.6% in 2009. The city has the highest jobless rate of any major Canadian city. About 15% of the local workforce was out of a job in August, 2009, compared to 10.5% in August 2008.

The current recession has been particularly severe in Ontario – Canada’s largest provincial economy. Two thirds of the 370,000  Canadian jobs that disappeared between October 2008 and June 2009 were in Ontario, and traditional industrial towns like Windsor have borne the brunt of the blow.

Between September 2008 and September 2009 over 6000  local jobs were lost in Windsor, mainly in the auto sector but elsewhere too. At Caesars Windsor, one of Canada’s biggest casino complexes, the staff has dropped from a 2001 peak of 5,400 to 3,800 in 2009.  

A concerted effort is underway to diversify Windsor’s economy, but the city’s immediate prospects are uncertain - and like others, Christian has decided to move on.

More information on Windsor, read the Beyond dossier for Jay & Gino.

Sources: 
The Conference Board of Canada; Monthly Economic Monitor, Sept 2009, Windsor Essex Development Commission; The Economist, July 30, 2009; Statistics Canada